Martin for treasurer; re-elect insurance chief
Published 1:26 pm Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Two well-qualified candidates are vying for state treasurer, a post being vacated by the retirement of Mike Murphy.
Allan Martin, a Republican, is currently the assistant state treasurer, the No. 2 position in the office. He’s been endorsed by the well-regarded Murphy, a Democrat. Martin has worked as a senior official in the treasurer’s office for a decade, and before that served as the elected treasurer for Chelan County, where he grew up.
Democrat Jim McIntire, currently a state representative from Seattle, has specialized in public finance, economics and fiscal policy for years. He has chaired a number of fiscal committees, taught at the University of Washington, and currently works as an economic consultant.
Martin offers day-to-day experience in the treasurer’s office, is intimately familiar with its workings and has helped build its reputation for competence and the effective safeguarding of the state’s finances. McIntire, we believe, has the skills to continue that reputation.
It’s a close call. In these volatile economic times, our nod goes to Martin for his practical experience.
McIntire is a creature of public policy, and says he would have the treasurer’s office play a more active role in working with lawmakers and the governor to seek financing mechanisms that could get big public projects started sooner. He says that Murphy has been a good, safe treasurer, and that he’d be more aggressive in trying to get taxpayers a better deal for their money.
We recommend sticking with good and safe, which Martin represents.
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER
Mike Kreidler has served well for two terms, bringing an even-handed approach to an office whose regulatory zeal many believe had chased several insurance companies out of the state, dampening competition.
In a third term, the Democrat would be an active voice for expanded health-care coverage, proposing a plan to get basic preventive and catastrophic coverage to all Washingtonians. His proposal would impose a relatively modest payroll tax on workers and employers to provide such basic coverage through private insurance companies, with the cost being offset by a reduction in rates currently paid by companies that offer insurance to their employees. Kreidler is asking the Legislature to OK the plan, and pass it on to voters for final approval. At minimum, it’s a terrific starting point for a debate that’s desperately needed. It’s beyond shameful that some 700,000 Washingtonians have no health coverage.
Kreidler is challenged by Republican John Adams in a rematch of the 2004 race. Adams has been in the insurance business for 40 years, and understands its inner workings well. We don’t doubt that he would serve competently, but his focus would be more internal than Kreidler’s. We think the state has much to gain from Kreidler’s broader vision.
